We draw our campaigns from issues that are happening now where we see we can work with the refugee advocacy movement to try and influence change in refugee and asylum seeker policy and practice.
The RAR Campaign Committee meet each month to discuss how to take action that will make some impact. RAR groups make their own decisions about what actions they take, depending on their capacity and local concerns.
Our goal is to work with others to make our voices heard and build community awareness and influence politicians.
Member groups say how it means a lot to them to know that their actions in their own area are contributing to a bigger engagement around the same issues.
We encourage member groups to let us know what campaigns they are most concerned about and share ideas for action. We always welcome people to join the Campaign Committee.
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Letter-writing
Letter-writing is an important part of our advocacy work. As well as local group members taking on this task, a number of members of ARAN has set up a National Letter-writing Network. This group meets monthly to coordinate their letter-writing campaigns, so that politicians receive a consistent message from a large number of community members. To find out more, contact a
Letters to the editor
Write a Letter or email to the media. Seen an article in the paper or online that makes you angry or upset? Make sure you write, email or put comments in an online article and let them know your thoughts. Again, the more we can have an educated conversation in a public forum, the greater chance we have of raising awareness and bring about change.
This link is a comprehensive list of major media publishers that you have the potential to be published in. It may be useful to pitch an op-ed/Letter to the Editor to a few of these papers
(make sure you send the emails separately!) to increase your chance of being picked up.
Letters to MPs and Senators
One of the best ways to make a difference is to contact your local member or even the two leaders of our major political parties. The more people who write, the more our leaders realise that we do care about the closure and safe rehoming of our refugees and asylum seekers on Manus and Nauru. Letters to Politicians – Tips from Julian Burnside
Contact your Local Member, or go straight to the top. Senators and Members individually decide their preferred web based contact method. To contact your Senator or Member first find their home page using this link to a search tool. Their home page will contain their contact details and best method of contacting them.
Petitions
- Check out current petitions on our Petitions page
- Want to start your own petition? Here are some helpful links Making Your Voice Heard, Sample Petition for the House of Reps , Brief Guide to Senate Petitions
- If you want to do something different to a petition, why not write an open letter to your local member of parliament or a politician with whom you wish to make a special point and collect signatures to this letter and post .
Social Media
- Like, Follow and nominate to see us first on our Facebook Page Rural Australians for Refugees
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow RAR on Instagram
- You can also volunteer to help the national social media and website teams. Email